Watching bench player Kirk Nieuwenhuis slug his way into the record book Sunday by becoming the first player in Mets history to hit three homers in one home game inspired the Fly to ask its research department to find other Herculean efforts by MLBers this season as the All-Star break reaches its second day. On May 14, Indians starter Corey Kluber became just one of five pitchers in history to strike out 18 or more in a game without issuing a walk, joining Luis Tiant, Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson and Kerry Wood. Chris Sale of the White Sox joined Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson as the only pitchers to strike out at least 12 in five straight starts. On the other end, Jeremy Guthrie of the Royals became only the second starter since 1914 to give up 11 or more earned runs without getting at least one out in the second inning of a start on May 25 against the Yankees.

•Life is about choices and here's another. Do you watch the All-Star Game Tuesday night or do you go to Mohegan Sun Arena to see Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen and Asjha Jones for the only time this season when the Minnesota Lynx visit the Connecticut Sun? Of course, if you aren't into women's basketball, we suppose the choice is easy. But the Lynx are the closest thing to a self-contained all-star team in the WNBA, with their Olympians and league champions. Hard to pass that up if you love the sport.

•All-Star Game Trivia: Prior to RHAM grad A.J. Pollock making the National League team only one other former Notre Dame position player had ever been selected or voted to the Midsummer Classic. He played for the Red Sox, was an outfielder, won the Triple Crown — that's right, Carl Yastrzemski. Pollock needs only 17 more appearances to tie Yaz. ... You don't need to consistently drive the fairway to figure Jordan Spieth will be considered the overwhelming favorite to win The Open at St. Andrews this week. The kid has been spectacular, his win last weekend at the John Deere Classic just the latest example of the way he has mowed — tractor play on words — down the competition this season. The NFL continues to have anger management issues: Buffalo Bills offensive line coach Aaron Kromer was arrested over the weekend in Florida on a misdemeanor battery charge after allegedly punching a boy in the face and threatening to kill his family. … Congratulations to former Hamden High and UConn great Scott Burrell, the new men's basketball coach at Southern Connecticut.